Minutes of a meeting of Shobnall Parish Council

held at Brook House, Shobnall Road on Monday 18 October 2021

commencing at 7pm

Present

Councillor Dennis (in the Chair)

Councillors Asghar, Dittmer, Donlon, Hoare and Shilton

In attendance

Mary Danby, Clerk

ESBC Councillor McKiernan

Public Forum

No members of the public were present.

84. Apologies

            None, all Councillors were present.

85. Declarations of Interest

            None declared

86. Written applications for dispensations under the Localism Act 2011

            None received

87. Update to Councillors’ Register of Interest

            None received

Councillors agreed to take Agenda Item Nos. 6 (The Link) and 14 (Children’s writing competition) before any other business at Councillor Hoare’s request as she needed to leave the meeting early for personal reasons.

88. Matters arising from the previous meeting
89. The Link Park

Councillor Hoare asked if the monies previously held for new fitness and play equipment could be given to ESBC on the proviso that these be used to provide children’s play facilities in the Parish.

Whilst noting that the Earmarked Reserve referred to by Councillor Hoare had been reallocated to “Community Projects” at the previous meeting, the following suggestions were put as potential projects which the parish council might support:

• A Youth Club facility potentially based at the Princess Street Training Centre.
• Extension to the BMX/Skateboard facility at Shobnall Fields.
• Improvements to the towpath from Shobnall Fields to Branston Lock (one of the Town Deal projects being managed by ESBC).

Agreed            That the BMX/skateboard group be approached for information on the proposed improvements to the Shobnall Fields facility.

89. Children’s writing competition

Councillor Hoare said that having re-read the advice from the SPCA and Internal Auditor she wished to withdraw the proposal for the Children’s Writing Competition.

Agreed            That the council does not progress the Children’s Writing Competition and that the £3,000 held in the Earmarked Reserve be allocated to the General Reserve.

Councillor Hoare left the meeting at 7.22 pm.

90. Police

            The Police report had been circulated to all Councillors prior to the meeting.

91. Minutes

Resolved        That the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2021 be approved as an accurate record.

92. Borough Councillors’ reports

Councillor McKiernan reported that:

• The litter pick on Shobnall Fields had been attended by 15/20 people and 10 bags of litter had been collected.
• She had had no response to her attempts to arrange a meeting with ESBC, the Police and BACT at Unity Park.

Post Meeting note:

Councillor Walker had sent an email apologising for being unable to attend the meeting and he said that:

• Fly tipping still seemed to be on the increase.
• He was pleased to have been invited to the reopening of the Soup Kitchen
• He was awaiting the date for a meeting with relevant groups regarding the issues at Unity Park.

93. County Councillor’s report

            A report was not available as Councillor Afsar was not present.

94. Financial matters

94.1     Schedule of payments 

             Resolved        that the above payments be approved.

94.2     Bank reconciliation as at 30 September 2021 

             Resolved        That the above was a true record.

94.3     Earmarked Reserves (EMRs)

Resolved        That the information be noted.

95. Actual income and expenditure as at 30 September 2021

            Resolved        That the report be noted.

96. BACT: Proposed additional activity for the Shobnall Ward

BACT had offered to deliver a weekly 1-hour Football/Multi-Sport session at Unity Park, Princess Street that are free and open access. Young people will take part in sports and activities. As part of the programme they will deliver workshops provided by both internal and external partners around key issues affecting young people and link in with local PCSOs and other organisations and schools to provide support.

Resolved        That the council agree to financially support the above session in the sum of £1,716 (s.137 grant aid).

97. Replacement noticeboards (Minute Nos. 30 and 74 refer)

Councillors considered a revised quotation for 2 No. freestanding noticeboards and 1 No. wall-mounted noticeboard.

Resolved        That:

The quotation provided by DSK Engineering Services (Midlands) Ltd be accepted as follows:

• Dallow Lock, domed header board to read “Shobnall Parish Council” with “Kingfisher Trail” below – old board to be disposed of and new board installed as soon as possible at a cost of £975.00 plus VAT
• Shobnall Community Centre – deferred until the Centre Committee have responded following their next meeting. If agreement is given, the old board to be disposed of and new board installed at a cost of £975.00 plus VAT.
• BACT Community Hub (corner of Casey Lane/Grange Street) – deferred pending the County Council agreeing to enter into a Licence/Agreement with the parish council giving permission for the board to be installed. If agreement is given, the old board to be disposed of and new board installed at a cost of £950.00 plus VAT.

98. Defibrillator provision (Minute No. 75 refers)

As requested at the previous meeting, the following organisations had been approached to ask if they had a suitable position which was accessible to the public 24/7 for an Automatic Public Access Defibrillator and heated cabinet to be installed:

de Ferrers Academy 6^th Form

Burton Fields School

Grange School Academy

Shobnall Primary School

Victoria Community School

Shobnall Community Centre

BACT Community Hub

Brook House

To date only three responses had been received:

Shobnall Primary School

Do not have a suitable location – they would have to leave one of their external gates unlocked which would compromise their insurance.

Victoria Community School

Had identified a space on the external wall near the main school entrance on York Street – they said that electricity could easily be installed at the location, and it is slightly off the pavement.

BACT Community Hub

BACT had advised that they lease the building from the County Council. The County Council had confirmed that they would require the council to enter into a Licence/Agreement for the proposed defibrillator and cabinet to be installed on the external wall at the corner of Casey Lane/Grange Street.

Councillor Shilton reported that the Brook House Management Committee would look favourably on a formal request for a defibrillator and heated cabinet to be installed on the property. Agreed that the Clerk write to the Management Committee Chair.

Resolved        That:

• Victoria Community School be asked if they have a preferred electrician to install the defibrillator and heated cabinet (to be paid for by the council).
• The County Council be contacted regarding the Licence/Agreement to install a defibrillator and heated cabinet on the external wall of the BACT Community Hub at the corner of Casey Lane/Grange Street.
• Subject to the Brook House Management Committee’s agreement, arrangements be made for a defibrillator and heated cabinet to be installed at Brook House

99. Halcyon Way: Planters

            Deferred to the next meeting as the requested quotations had not been received.

100. Website

There had been 33 visits to the website in the 30 days to 11 October 2021.

101. Planning matters

101.1   Planning applications 

101.2   Planning decisions

            Resolved        That the report be noted.

102. Councillors’ questions

102.1   Councillor Dittmer said that the streetlight was down again on the Link Park. The Clerk confirmed that this had been reported to the County Council.

102.2   Councillor Shilton reported that the gaps in the fencing at Shobnall Court had not been repaired. Agreed that attempts would be made to contact the Management Company for the property as they would be responsible for maintaining the communal areas.

Councillors Shilton asked that tea/coffee be made available for council meetings. Agreed that a hot water flask be purchased for this purpose. (Post Meeting note: The flask was not purchased as Brook House have a hot water flask available which the council may use.)

103. Correspondence and circulars

103.1   SPCA

The SPCA’s weekly Bulletins had been circulated to all Councillors.

103.2   Highway England

The A38 Traffic Management Bulletins had been circulated to all Councillors.

Date of next meeting

Monday 15 November 2021 at 7pm at Brook House, 18 Shobnall Road.

The Meeting closed at 8.15pm

Signed ………………………………………………………..

Date     ………………………………………………………..